R U Home Yet?: Intro
by TrollToez
Summary: The first story in the macaronikids!AU. Geoff lived alone, and he was alright with that. But when he met an intriguing young boy by the name of Jack, everything he thought he knew was turned upside down.
1. Chapter 1: Jack

Geoff lived alone, and he was okay with that. He worked odd jobs supplied by his friends and connections in the city, but it was enough to get by on. He was content without a wife or kids. At least, that's what Geoff told himself as he watched the young boy next to him in the local gas station.

The boy had glasses and messy red hair. He looked to be around ten years old. But something in his eyes made him seem older to Geoff. They were next to each other near the sandwich shelf. The boy's eyes scanned the food before he quickly glanced around, as if making sure that no one was watching.

It was obvious to the man what this kid was going to do, so he intervened. "Hey, listen, kid. I don't know why you were gonna steal that food, but isn't worth it. Here," he said, handing a five dollar bill to the ginger.

The boy looked at him with disbelieving eyes before he carefully took the money. Geoff left his hand extended and the boy shook it uncertainly. "Thanks," he almost whispered.

"No problem. I'm Geoff."

"…Jack," the boy replied. Giving Geoff one last glance, he took two sandwiches and a water bottle to the checkout counter.

Satisfied that he had kept the boy out of trouble, Geoff went back to getting his coffee. Though the encounter was brief, he continued to think about it for the rest of the day. There was something he liked about that kid.

uuuun

The second time he met Jack, Geoff was walking to Los Santos Customs. Around halfway there, he had seen the boy sitting at the entrance to an alley. Jack was sitting behind a dumpster under a ratty old blanket. A plastic cup sat next to him with a piece of cardboard reading, "please help. no home. No family. no money"

Geoff felt a pang in his chest at the sight. He had no idea the other day at the gas station. The man headed over to Jack, unsure of what he was doing but certain that he needed to help. When he reached him, Geoff slipped a ten into the cup. Jack still hadn't looked up, and seemed like he might be sleeping.

Knowing he would be late for work if he stayed any longer, he vowed to check back as soon as he was done. With a deep breath he forced himself to leave the small child, but not before another ten found its way into the cup.

_Why am I doing this? I see plenty of kids on the streets, so why am I so attached to this one? _He thought. Maybe if he asked Jack he would know, Geoff reasoned as he went on his way. Yes, talking to him would explain it.

uuuun

He was distracted all day, thinking about the poor child out in the cold fall weather. No family? No home? How was he surviving out there? Probably from the change he received and stealing what he couldn't afford he thought, remembering how suspicious Jack had been of his monetary offer. Thank the Lord it was time for Geoff to go home.

He practically ran, hoping that the boy hadn't moved. But Jack was still there, giving puppy dog eyes to passerby's who carefully avoided his gaze. Geoff sat down beside him which startled Jack. The boy started to scoot away before he recognized the man next to him.

"Oh, hey," he said softly. Jack then looked away, appearing ashamed.

"I didn't know it was this bad. I would have given you more at the gas station," Geoff stated. Once again, he felt the pangs of sadness. Suddenly, he realized why. This boy reminded Geoff of himself.

He remembered being young, probably not much older than Jack. Geoff had basically raised himself, though he had had a home at least. He remembered how terrible he had felt back then: so alone and afraid. Until his saving grace had arrived in the form of three friends. Burnie, Gus, and Joel had taken care of him from then on. They had shown him kindness again. Jack didn't have that, but he needed it.

"How long have you been alone?" Geoff asked. "Where are your parents?"

"I dun' know. I don't remember. Jus' remember that they left me."

If it was possible, Geoff's heart melted even more for this little boy. Without thinking, he clasped Jack's arm. "Come with me. I can take care of you, please." Geoff seemed just as surprised as Jack by his outburst. Jack was wide eyed and silent, mouth hanging open. Tears flooded his eyes, and it seemed as though he was about to agree. But instead, after an internal battle, the boy shook his head reluctantly.

"No, I couldn't. Thank you for the offer, though," his voice cracked as he tried desperately to keep the tears from spilling over.

Geoff was immensely confused by this answer. He didn't have and family, and he obviously wanted to come. So why did he recline? And on that note, why did Geoff offer? He had no experience with kids and had no idea how to take care of one. Still, he wanted to know what was troubling Jack. "And why could you not?"

"There's… there's someone I must take care of."

"And who would that be? I don't understand," Geoff responded softly.

"A friend. I… have to take care of him. I can't leave him alone."

Geoff nodded, not pushing any further. "Well, I'd love to meet him sometime. He seems very nice." He sat silently with Jack for a while, both content with watching people go by. Much to Geoff's surprise, it was Jack who spoke first.

"He is very nice. I'd like for you to meet him, too. Will you be coming this way tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'll be walking by here around noon," Geoff lied. "I'll meet you here tomorrow." He paused to think before he spoke again. "Are you sure you don't want to stay with me, just for tonight? It's too cold to be out here with just that crappy blanket. Your friend can come too, if he'd like."

"He has a home to sleep in but… I mean if it isn't too much trouble of course… yeah. I'd like that a whole lot, Geoff." Jack drew his knees up to his chest while he spoke. He looked away and blushed slightly.

Geoff knew that he was grinning like an idiot, but he honestly couldn't remember the last time he was this happy. He started to get up, but paused in a crouching position. "It's a bit of a walk, so hop on, kiddo."

Jack seemed very pleased with this request and jumped on with an enthusiastic giggle. The walk back to Geoff's house was fairly uneventful, just chatting about what they saw on their trip. When the apartment complex came into view, Jack was confused.

"_That's_ you house!?" he exclaimed.

Geoff laughed, "No, mine's on the second floor. It's not very big but I make it work."

When Geoff unlocked the door to his apartment and gave Jack a quick tour, the boy only seemed more in awe. "It's so big! You live alone in this place!?" Jack was smiling and spinning around when he spoke until he hit the edge of the couch and plummeted to the ground. Just before he landed, however, two big arms caught him.

The boy looked entirely embarrassed, which only made Geoff laugh harder. "Hey!" Jack protested weakly. But then he was laughing too and both of them fell onto the couch in a gigging heap. They had finally stopped when Geoff's stomach growled loudly and set them both off again.

"Stop! Please stop, my stomach hurts!" Jack begged through tears. Apparently, Geoff's laughter was infectious.

"Well, I guess that's my cue. What do ya want for dinner, kid?" he panted, still trying to catch his breath. Jack's face fell slightly and he untangle himself from the older man.

"Oh no, that's alright. I've already eaten today." He said, staring at his feet. Geoff was having none of that, and scooped the boy back up into his arms. "Spaghetti it is then."

Not long after, they were seated at the table with a massive bowl of spaghetti between them. Geoff served them both hearty plates before seating himself. Jack gaped at his plate and then up at Geoff. "Is this _all mine_!?" he exclaimed. The boy actually looked slightly scared, as if he was afraid that Geoff would take the food away. Or maybe that the noodles on his plate might eat _him_.

"All yours. And if you finish that there's a lot more," the man replied simply. He would feed Jack the whole damn kitchen if he wanted it. He looked so skinny and malnourished, and Geoff when his last real meal had been.

He watched Jack carefully as he ate, not wanting him to eat too fast and get a stomach ache. But Jack ate slowly, as if the plate of food was daunting. Which to him, it probably was. Jack didn't talk a lot, too focused on the meal, but periodically mumbled thanks through mouthfuls.

When they had finished eating, Jack closed his eyes and leaned back against his chair with a sigh. One eye peaked open at Geoff. "Thank you so much. I can't remember the last time I've eaten that much, or something that good, actually."

"Well there's only more where that came from. You're too skinny to be healthy. And on that note, when's the last time you've had a hot bath?" Geoff asked. Based on the way Jack nearly drooled at the thought, it had probably been a while.

He led the boy into the bathroom and turned on the water. While the tub filled, Geoff took the time to look closer at Jack. He was filthy, and his glasses were so dirty and scratched that Geoff wasn't sure he could actually see. His clothes were old and torn, and much too big to actually be his. Most likely he had taken them from wherever they had been thrown out. More than ever, Geoff was determined to give him a better life.

Once Jack was in the tub, he was satisfied with laying back and letting Geoff wash him thoroughly. Again, he was fairly quiet except for muttered thanks. Geoff carefully worked through Jack's knotted hair, and made sure every inch of the ginger was clean.

After the bath, which Jack seemed very reluctant to leave, he was wrapped in a large towel and sat on the edge of the tub. Geoff was no barber, but still trimmed Jack's hair down to a manageable level. Seeing as he didn't just have a spare set of ten year old boy's clothes laying around, Geoff gave Jack a pair of his own boxers and a large t-shirt. If possible, Jack now looked even tinier as he nearly drowned in the clothes.

The boy grinned up at him and tugged the boxers back up from where they were slipping down. Geoff nearly died at the adorable sight in front of him. If only to add to the cuteness, Jack let out a huge yawn and rubbed at his eyes. Probably bedtime, then.

He took Jack's hand and they walked back to the bedroom. Geoff tucked him in and ruffled his hair with a quiet "goodnight" to the nearly sleeping boy. However, when he turned to leave he felt a small tug on his shirt. Looking back, he saw puppy-dog eyes staring back. Without another word, he slipped into bed next to Jack, who curled into his side. Geoff had one arm under Jack's head like a pillow, and the other wrapped around him protectively.

"Thanks for the money, Geoff."

"No problem, buddy," Geoff replied. But Jack had already fallen asleep, so Geoff couldn't ask how he knew it was him. But he didn't ponder it long before he too had fallen asleep, happier than he had been in years.

uuuun

Geoff wasn't sure what time it was, but it was still pitch black when he woke up to Jack screaming. The boy was thrashing under the blankets as he cried out in fear. Geoff sat up and pulled the struggling boy into his arms. Rocking back and forth, he tried to wake Jack up without startling him more. "Jack. Jack it's just a nightmare, wake up." Truthfully, it was starting to freak Geoff out. He had absolutely no idea what to do. He shook the boy once more before the boy woke.

Jack continued to fight, unaware of where he was. "No! No, please don't!" he screamed. Geoff just continued to hold him close and murmur comforting words into his ear. After what seemed like forever, the fight seemed to leave Jack and he slowly pulled back to look at Geoff.

Recognition sparked in his eyes and he flung himself back into Geoff's hug with a loud sob. They sat like this until the sky lightened, with Geoff rubbing circles into Jack's back while he cried himself dry. It hurt Geoff to see him like this, but there was a bit of amazement as well. How long had it been since this child had someone to hold him, comfort him, tell him that everything would be alright?

So, Geoff stayed up with Jack, even after the boy had cried himself back to sleep. He wanted to be there to fight off any other monsters that tried to attack him.

uuuun

They didn't wake until well after noon. Jack found himself still tucked under Geoff's arms, warm and secure. Vague memories of last night resurfaced and he snuggled closer to Geoff with a shiver.

Careful not to wake him, Jack pulled a blanket over Geoff's shoulders. For once, he allowed himself to relax and sleep in. Only when Geoff began to stir did Jack move. With a stretch and a loud groan, Geoff rejoined the waking world. He seemed a bit disoriented when he saw the boy, but within moments a large grin appeared on his face.

"Mornin', kiddo. Hope you slept better than I did, 'cause my back is killing me."

Jack looked down guiltily but before he could open his mouth to apologize, Geoff spoke again. "Hey don't look so sad; I'm just joking. You wanna talk about your nightmare?" Jack shook his head, and then tilted it to the side thoughtfully.

"Um… can we have breakfast?" he asked cautiously, still unused to the much food just for him.

"Yeah! Come on; I'm half starved," Geoff paused in horror at his own words and then stared at Jack, unsure of what to say. Jack only laughed, "Well let's go eat, then!" But his eyes seemed to say more. He knew what Geoff had said, but he wasn't upset by it.

Geoff laughed out of relief that he hadn't hurt Jack, and guided him out for breakfast at 1:30 in the afternoon.

A filling meal of eggs and bacon later, Jack was already looking a hundred times better. He was smiling and joking like kids his age should be. Though, it seemed that Geoff was as well. They watched cartoons and had a pirate battle using empty paper towel rolls. Later on Geoff decided that they absolutely _had_ to make cookies and they ran to the grocery store immediately.

One floury food fight later, the cookies were in the oven. Jack was on Geoff's lap sorting the new cookie decorating supplies. Geoff watched the football game, but glanced down every once and a while to add his input to the piles Jack had made. He sorted the colors of frosting into groups of colors he thought went well together.

After rearranging many times, he picked up the green and orange. He glanced up at Geoff. "What's your favorite color?" he asked.

"Blue, what's yours?" he replied. Instead of answering verbally, Jack showed him the green tube and then picked up the blue one as well. "Is orange your second favorite?" he questioned upon seeing the third color. Jack shook his head sadly, and held it a little closer.

"It's Ryan's favorite," he sighed. Geoff figured that this must be his mystery friend and pulled Jack a little closer, smiling down at him.

"You wanna bring some cookies over to him when they're done?" As if he summoned it, the oven beeped.

"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! He'll love it!" Jack raced to the kitchen and threw the oven door open. Before Geoff could stop him, Jack grabbed the cookie sheet bare handed and yanked them out. Only then did he realize that they were burning hot and dropped them with a loud cry of pain. Geoff cringed as he watched the food clatter to the floor while Jack began to cry. He hurried over and ran the wailing boy's hands under water.

It took a while to calm him down once more, and a bit longer when Jack looked down and saw the red skin with blisters appearing. But eventually, all was well again when his hands had been covered in get better kisses.

They picked up the cookies together and began decorating. Silly faces, cool designs, and their names covered their cookies. Jack made a few extra specials ones for his friend with their favorite colors. A few of the cookies had been glued back together with frosting.

Soon after, they headed out and back towards where Geoff had found Jack the day before. Jack then took hold of his hand and led him down the alleyway. Geoff had no idea what to expect; he didn't even know where they were going.

Through the alley and down the street they went, until they arrived at an older house. Instead of going to the front door, Jack walked into the backyard. Overgrown grass overtook the stray children's toys on the lawn. Jack peered behind the bushes and up into the few trees. With no luck, he turned back to the house. With a small happy gasp, he started to jump up and down while waving his hands.

That was when Geoff saw the boy. He had been looking in the windows to catch a glimpse of Jack's friend, but only saw him when he raised his eyes further. There, on the roof, was a boy only a year of two younger than Jack. Ryan had his knees tucked up to his chest and his head buried in his arms. It was apparent that the boy hadn't seen him, so Jack picked up a small stone and tossed it up onto the roof, careful not to hit Ryan.

The younger boy jumped at the noise and looked down. The fear on his face turned to joy and he scrambled off the roof. Geoff could barely watch Ryan as he dropped down onto a windowsill and then onto a small deck. Soon, he was tackling Jack in a hug. They giggled and wrestled on the ground, until Ryan noticed Jack's hands.

"What happened to you, Jack!? Did this guy hurt you? Who is he, anyway?" Ryan looked up at Geoff with a furious glare.

"No, no, no! I just burned myself making cookies," Jack explained, pointed to said treats in the container beside them. The boy then stood up and gestured with flourish to Geoff. "This is my new friend, Geoff! I know he looks scary with all his tattoos n' stuff, but he's really nice!"

Geoff attempted to put on his most harmless smile. He knew that many people, not just children, were intimidated by him. He usually used it to his advantage, but now he just wanted to befriend the two boys.

Ryan got up slowly, still untrusting of the new man. But he did trust Jack, so he finally looked up and gave Geoff a tiny smile. "Hey, I'm Ryan. Nice to meet you."

uuuun


	2. Chapter 2: Ryan

They headed to the park, with Jack recounting all of his adventures with Geoff to Ryan. The two kids sat on the swings and ate cookies while Geoff sat on one beside them to listen. He would add his own bits to the story, often earning a laugh from the young boys. Ryan seemed to be warming up, though it was obvious that he was still stuck inside of his shell. He seemed uncomfortable with talking about himself, so Geoff decided not to push it.

Instead, they watched a family feed bread to ducks. Ryan watched with great interest, but didn't speak. His friend on the other hand, had already begun forming a plan. He looked up at the man beside them. Geoff looked back evenly. _Don't do it,_ he thought. _Don't you fucking-_ Puppy dog eyes activate. _Shit._

Jack didn't even say a word and Geoff was already standing up. He knew that he was wrapped around the boy's finger, and that he would later regret letting it happen, but he couldn't bring himself to care. "Alright, come on then." Ryan looked at Jack in confusion, who grinned back cheekily.

"We're goin' to get bread for the ducks! We can feed 'em that way!"

Ryan looked disheartened, but only nodded and swung back and forth a little. They started out of the park, but Ryan stayed where he was, staring at his dirty shoes. Jack tugged on his hand slightly, but the sandy haired boy shook his head. "You go on, I'll head back home later."

"You don't want to come?" Geoff asked, confused. He had seemed like he had wanted to feed them.

The question made Ryan finally look up. He looked just as confused as Geoff did. "You _can_ come if you want to. We'd be more than happy to have you with us," Geoff clarifies. A grin spreads slowly across the youngest's face and he jumps up to join them. The man doesn't ask why Ryan thought he wasn't allowed to come, but pushes it to the back of his mind. He could ask Ryan later, but now he just wanted the boy to be happy, because it seemed like he definitely didn't feel it enough.

One quick trip to the grocery store later, they were back at the pond with a loaf of bread. They tossed bread to the many ducks that quickly surrounded them. The boys laughed and tried to make the ducks jump for it. Ryan actually got one to, and earned an accidental bite to one of his fingers when the duck over jumped. He wasn't hurt by it however, and instead was very proud of his accomplishment. "I bet no one else ever got to feel a duck's bill like that!" He had proclaimed, holding up his pointer finger like a prize.

They stayed at the park until the sun was glowing on the horizon. When Geoff felt he shouldn't keep the boys out any longer, he told this to Jack and Ryan.

Both boys were sad that their playdate had to end. Jack tugged on Ryan's arm again, something that seemed to be a common form of communication between the two. "Come on, Rye. You can stay with me tonight if you want."

"With you? But Ryan, don't you have a home? That's where we were earlier, right?" Geoff questioned. These two seemed like a puzzle sometimes.

"No. I mean, I live there. It's not my home, though. I like to stay with Jack some

times." The boy replied.

"Well... Where do you stay, Jack?"

"Wherever. Usually the alley where you saw me yesterday... I'm not allowed at Ryan's place so I don't really have a home..."

Geoff was appalled. How could anyone treat the wonderful kids this way? "Ryan, don't your parents worry when you're not home?"

He shook his head. "They're my foster parents, and no. They prefer it when I'm not around so they can take care of the other kids. They don't want me, but they can't get rid of me," the last sentence was spoken with so much venom that it startled Geoff. The suddenness was surprising, but the anger wasn't. They didn't want him, but it's their job to take care of him. But if they didn't care...

"Dinner. My place. Mac n cheese. Come on," he spoke sharply. Geoff didn't want his anger to show, but it was nearly impossible. Not that the boys would mind; they were angry about their living conditions as well. They followed without hesitation and kept up with his large strides. Ryan was once again nervous, but any place besides home seemed like a better option.

When they got to the street, Geoff held out his hands and they each took a hold of one. His large hands enveloped their tiny ones, and he couldn't help but be a little scared by it. These kids were already so broken, and it would be so easy for him to break them even more. Especially if he was going to go through with what he was thinking.

By the time their got back to his house, Geoff had calmed down significantly. A feeling of déjà vu swept over him when he entered his apartment. For the second night in a row, he was taking in a child he had only just met to help them. Although this time he was taking care of both of them. God help them all.

He set the water on to boil and once again looked over the new comer thoroughly. He was standing awkwardly to the side of the room, unsure of what to do with his hands. He finally settle on shoving them into his pockets. He wasn't as dirty as Jack had been, but he definitely wasn't clean. His clothes were threadbare and plain.

Jack stuck close to him and coaxed Ryan into following the boy on a tour of the house. Geoff popped a few hot dogs into the microwave and continued cooking the noodles. When the boys returned, Geoff was surprised to see that it was Ryan who was talking so animatedly. Ryan spoke energetically about different video games he'd seen advertised on TV, and others he's heard about. _So they found my X-box_, he thought.

The microwave beeped and he cut the hotdogs up into the pot. The boys sat down when they saw that the food was ready. Dinner was served and they dug in, but it wasn't long before Jack started laughing.

"What's wrong with you?" Geoff teased. "Is there cheese in my mustache?"

"No!" He cried out, almost choking on his food in a fit of laughter. "Why are these girl shapes!?" Ryan looked down at his bowl and sure enough, the noodles were all princess shapes. Crowns, wands, and hearts sat covered in cheese. Ryan burst into laughter as well, and Geoff reddened slightly.

"So what? A man can have whatever noodles he pleases! They taste better anyway!" he cried indignantly. Geoff crossed his arms and glared at the boys, though a smile fought to crawl onto his face. Finally, he gave in, and they were all laughing.

Ryan finally calmed down enough to take another bite, and chewed thoughtfully. Jack and Geoff looked at him in confusion when he nodded resolutely. "Yep. I hate to say it, but it tastes better," he said. There was a moment of silence and the all three were laughing again.

Things continued this way all throughout dinner. Ryan opened up more and his quick wit challenged even Geoff's. After dinner they went back to the living room and he taught them how to play Halo. They picked it up quickly, and teamed up against him immediately. With a score of 14-3 in their favor (okay Geoff might have gone a little easy on them), Jack piped up.

"Can we please have a bath, Geoff?" he asked. The man chuckled; surely this had to be the first kid that _wanted_ a bath.

"Sure, but I don't think it'd be very comfortable with both of you guys squished in there. How about one at a time?"

Ryan wanted to play on his own some more to learn on of the maps, so Jack was the first in the tub. One clean child later, Ryan was getting ready for his bath.

Jack was in the living room doing god knows what to entertain himself, so Geoff focused on the task at hand. When Ryan took off his shirt, it was almost scary how skinny he was. His baggy clothes had hidden how malnourished he was. _I knew he was skinny, but this is ridiculous,_ Geoff thought.

The boy seemed to react to the bath in the same way Jack did; sinking into the bubbles with a sigh and laying back. He could see Ryan's entire body relax and a small smile even found its way onto his face.

Geoff made sure he was clean and then let the boy soak for a while. He stayed in the room and talked with him to make sure Ryan didn't fall asleep. Their peaceful relaxation was broken when there was a loud scream of "YEAH" and then the sound of glass shattering. This was then followed by a shriek, and silence.

"Stay here."

By the time the words were spoken, Geoff was already out the door. The first thing he noticed was that the living room was significantly darker. He called Jack's name from his side of the room, and received a whimper in response. When his eyes adjusted, he saw Jack standing in the middle of the room with wide eyes. Off to the boy's right, the lamp that had lit the room was knocked over in a pile of glass.

"Are you okay, Jack?" he asked slowly. The boy wasn't crying yet, but he looked like he was on the verge of hysterics. Jack nodded but pointed a shaky hand towards the broken lamp.

"Is he okay, Geoff?" Ryan called from the bathroom doorway. He was wrapped hastily in a towel, still dripping wet. He blinked owlishly while he tried to adjust to the darkness.

"Yeah, I think he's fine," he responded. The faint light from the TV screen illuminated the lamp, and Jack was far enough away to be out of danger.

"Alright buddy, come over here, but don't go near the glass, okay? It's fine, I'm not mad. That lamp was shitty anyway," he smiled. Jack picked his way around the other side of the couch and over to Geoff.

Upon seeing Jack for himself, Ryan was satisfied with his friend's well being. The older boy hurried to clean up the water on the floor that he had dripped and jumped back into the warm tub.

Meanwhile, Jack stared up at the man with a look of terror on his face. He was shaking like a leaf and let out tiny, gasping breaths. Geoff picked him up without a second thought, shushing him softly when the boy squeaked in fear. A steady stream of whispered apologies still fell from Jack's lips, though he buried himself in Geoff's arms.

"Hey Jack, I said I'm not mad. It was an accident, and a funny one at that," he chuckled. "How in the hell did you manage that?"

Jack peeked up with one eye and let a smile finally begin to form. "I won. Threw my arms up an' I let go of the controller on accident."

Geoff threw his head back and laughed loudly. Jack giggled a bit and clung closer to Geoff. The man carried him over to the kitchen and gave him a snack to keep him busy. After that, he quickly went to check on Ryan.

When he got back to the bathroom, Ryan was almost completely submerged. His nose was underwater and his eyes were squeezed shut. "Ryan?" he asked.

He blew bubbles out of his nose and resurfaced. "Where's Jack?"

"Eating a Freezee in the kitchen."

Ryan snorted, "A pink one?" Geoff rolled his eyes in response, but grinned as well. He shook his head and leaned up against the counter.

"So what's up? You looked upset." Even now, Ryan had a slightly dejected look on his face.

"It's nothing I'm fine. Water's getting cold, though," he replied, skillfully changing the subject.

"Is that why you're so sad?" Geoff teased while he dried Ryan off after he got out of the tub.

"No, I'm not sad. This is the happiest I've been in a long time," he admitted. There was a minute where he opened and closed his mouth like he wanted to speak. He twisted his hands together and looked everywhere but at Geoff. Finally, he pulled the towel tighter around himself and spoke. "I've just been so happy today. I felt like I actually had a family. But then I saw you holding Jack, and it just made me remember that I don't have that, I guess. I remembered that I have to go back to the foster home soon and go back to my normal life. I'm glad that I got to spend the afternoon with you, but it's kind of bitter sweet."

Geoff was stunned. He had never expected to hear such a heartfelt declaration from shy little Ryan. While he had been speaking, Ryan had put on a similar pair of makeshift pajamas to Jack's. He sat quietly on the edge of the tub afterwards and stared at his feet.

The man didn't know how to pose his question, so he decided to just push through it awkwardly. "You can… I mean, uh, Do- do you want to spend the night? Jack can too, of course. If he wants to."

This time there was no hesitation in Ryan's voice. "If it's okay with you, I would love that. Thank you so much, I'll be a good guest, I swear," he said almost desperately.

Geoff shook his head a bit, which worried Ryan until he explained. "You're not 'a guest', Ryan. You don't have to be formal about it. For tonight, at least, we can all be a family. You can go ask Jack if he wants to." What Geoff didn't expect was for his seemingly simple words to have such great effect on Ryan. The boy's eyes shone with tears and a huge grin spread across his face. Ryan jumped up and hugged Geoff with more force than Geoff thought his skinny arms could possess.

Geoff lifted him up, which if possible caused even more joy. Ryan let out a breathy laugh and whispered to him, "I don't remember the last time I've had a family. I love you, Geoff."

They had only known each other a day. It was only by chance that Geoff had even met them. But it was true; he love those boys like his sons. "I love you too, buddy."

Geoff set Ryan down, who ran off, giggling, to find Jack. The man leaned back against the counter and closed his eyes. What had he gotten himself into? Despite how worried he was about the situation at hand, he smiled. They were worth any problems they would face. They were worth the whole damn world.

UUUUN

Now that Ryan was here, Jack was more than willing to stay another night. After Geoff cleaned up the glass, they watched movies until the boys fell asleep, and then Geoff carried them to bed. Ryan posed a problem when Geoff transferred him to the bedroom, and he clung to the man like a burr. Geoff had tried to set him down, but his attempts were in vain. Eventually, Geoff had clambered down onto the bed with Ryan in his arms, careful not to squish Jack.

The boys immediately snuggled into his sides, and he draped an arm around each of them. _I could get used to this,_ he thought. This was _definitely_ something he could live with.

He woke up to Jack shifting restlessly in his sleep. He let out a whine and gripped Geoff tighter. The beginning of another nightmare, he realized. Geoff pulled the blankets back onto Jack's shoulders and then started rubbing slow circles over his back. It calmed the boy quickly, who sighed and relaxed against Geoff's side.

Once Jack was settled, Geoff turned to check that Ryan was still sleeping. The man nearly jumped out of his skin when a pair of wide eyes stared back at him.

"Sorry," Ryan whispered. "I had a nightmare and can't sleep." Geoff hadn't been woken up by Ryan, and had no idea how long the boy had been awake. He gave Ryan a one armed hug and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.

"You wanna talk about it?" he asked. A small shake of the boy's head answered him. "Okay. You don't have to be afraid. I can scare all of the monsters away." Ryan smiled at this, and closed his eyes once more.

Geoff placed a kiss on top of Ryan's head. "G'nite, Ry. Sweet dreams."

"Night, Geoff."

Only when both boys were in a peaceful sleep did Geoff close his eyes. He was reminded once again of how fragile the boys were. God, he could only hope he didn't break them.

UUUUN

Breakfast meant an early trip to the grocery store when Geoff realized just how much bacon three hungry males could eat. Lunch was fast food and _lots_ of candy. Dinner consisted of one metal bottomed cup nearly setting the microwave on fire and then hot chocolate with their meal. By eight o'clock the boys were begging to stay another night and Jack went so far as to suggest living there.

"Ryan, don't you think you need to at least check in with your foster parents?" Goff had asked him. The boy in question stopped bouncing around and stared at him. The terror in his eyes answered Geoff before Ryan even spoke.

"Don't make me go back, Geoff, please. They don't want me. The day you met me, Bill was screaming at me and told me I was a burden. That they never wanted me and that no one else would. He told me that they would be better off without me so I left. I was only on the roof because I was waiting for Jack so I could go; _please_ Geoff don't make me go back!" By the end, Ryan was in hysterics. He was nearly screaming and shaking so hard he could barely stand. Tears continued to stream down his face even after he finished speaking.

Panicked, Jack held his friend tightly to his chest. Ryan's eye were wide and unfocused, and Geoff doubted he was even aware of what went on around him. Geoff's eyes locked with Jack's, and he realized he needed to take action _now_.

Taking the boy from Jack, Geoff wrapped his arms around him. Rocking back and forth, he rubbed circles on Ryan's back. The boy's breathing was quick and shallow. "Ryan. Hey buddy it's okay. Calm down; I won't make you go back. I'm sorry."

Geoff leaned back against the armrest and opened his free arm to Jack, who gladly took the offer. Jack kept one arm firmly latched around Ryan. With both of them holding him close, Ryan's panic attack faded away, though all too slowly for their likings. When he was finally calm enough to think, the boy dissolved into tears.

"I'm sorry, Geoff, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't cry. I'm just being a burden."

"Christ, kid, no. You're not a burden; you never could be. It's my fault. I shouldn't have said that and _I'm _sorry. Are you okay?"

"...Yeah," he squeaked.

"Then that's all that matters. Hey, I love you guys. Of course you can stay here," he smiled. This was enough to bring Ryan back. He gasped and finally looked up at Geoff with a still teary grin.

"Really!?" both boys cried in unison. Geoff laughed and nodded, suddenly filled with a childlike joy at the idea of being a father.

The boys were now squeaking and hugging each other with so much enthusiasm that Ryan almost fell off of Geoff's lap onto the floor. The man caught him and then tackled them to the floor in a tickle war. So what if he went easy on them and let them win? So what if letting them "beat" him lead to them actually getting the upper hand? And so what if he almost peed because he was laughing so hard? They were all having fun, and he would do anything to keep it that way.


End file.
